A comparative study of the balance of services to the Kenyan child: a case study of the Educational services in Dagoretti Constituency

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Abstract

This study provided insights into the challenges of access to education as a service to the Kenyan child. The overall objective of the study was to carry out a
comparative study on whether there is balance in the access to education services by both genders. It was justified by the fact that whereas there has been studies carried out on the access to education by the girl child, there are minimal reports to the direction of the boy child, and thus the need to investigate whether both genders are accessing education equally and if not what are the factors influencing the same.
The study was carried out in the secondary schools in Dagoretti constituency. The target population of the study was the teachers and the students within the
mixed gender secondary schools, a sample of 117 respondents were involved in the study. The researcher used survey research design, where non probability
sampling (purposive sampling) and clustering was used to pick the wards. To cater for the mixed gender variability, the researcher used proportionate
sampling method to ensure that all locations and both were represented in the sample. The target population of the study was the teachers and the students
within the mixed gender secondary schools. Qualitative method was used for data collection with questionnaires as tools. Data analysis was done using the
statistical package for social scientist (S.P.S.S.) whereas data presentation was done through the use of frequency tables and cross tabulating of the information received.
From the data analysed it was noted that there are more private schools than public, with more boys registered in the schools than the girls. In terms of ages of
the students they were mostly between the ages of 15-19 years and it was recorded that most of the respondents indicated that gender was considered in a
variety of activities within the school. Specific recommendations were made to the guardians, the government and the school management staff. They included; to the guardians to acknowledge that all children are equal regardless of the gender and as such school take all children to school. To the government it was recommended that it should put up laws that will ensure all genders are accessing education without compromise, where as to the school management it was recommended that they must ensure that they play their role in sensitizing people on the need to give both genders a chance to go to school. All stakeholders should contribute, collaborate and encourage team work amongst them to ensure that both genders needs and plights are addressed.